A Brand New Light

Chapter 5: A Brand New Break

At the first week of November Conner found himself handing in a note to the school office with Wally. It said that they would be absent November 15th through the 30th. The strange part was, he knew Robin, Artemis, M'Gaan and Zatanna all had the similar note to turn into their schools. All of the mentors looked excited, and while Wally was a little paler than normal, he seemed excited for whatever was coming up. After school both him and Wally went up to his room with a plate of apples, celery, carrots, peppers, and cucumbers. They sat on Conner's grass green carpet and started to do their homework. Conner looked at the concentrating red head before asking him the question burning on his tongue.

"Wally, why don't you seem so excited like the rest of the team for this trip." Wally hesitantly looked up into Conner's glass blue eyes.

"Because I have to have my annual surgery right before…" He trailed off quietly.

"Surgery, what for, and why would you need it annually?" Wally looked like he just wanted to run and hide, but he looked down and picked at a loose piece of his jeans.

"Because, when I was really young, seven years old, someone shattered my legs with cinder blocks…I wasn't able to walk for three years after that. When I got my powers at the age of ten, my bones started to knit themselves together, but incorrectly. It took a lot of surgeries with Dr. Mid-Nite and Martian Manhunter to get my legs just to work so I could run, even then they weren't perfect. So for the last six years they have been tracking down every last shard of my bones to put it back into place. They finished my femurs last year, this year they start work on the tibia and fibula…" Wally looked up into Conner's eyes again. "And the worst part is I can't have any pain killers because of my metabolism. It burns straight through any drug they try, so they stopped trying. It's really painful, the trip allows me to relax and heal for the week I need…but I will be in a wheelchair the whole time." Conner looked surprised but then smiled.

"Well I guess it will be a good thing though in the long run, once your legs are completely healed." Wally and smiled.

"Conner," Conner looked at the fidgeting red head, "please don't tell the others, I don't want them to pity me. Robin and Roy already know, but no one else besides the mentors do." Conner nodded and smiled.

"I won't, now about this history homework." Conner lifted up the sheets and shook them with a smirk, causing Wally to laugh and scoot closer to the raven haired boy.

"Really? You can make it?! Wally will be so excited, yeah Max, Jay, and Joan are going and I heard Roy invited someone…No, Bruce said she could be trusted, even if she was an ex-villain. I know, I know, anyway I will see you at the S.T.A.R. Labs in Star City right? Okay, see you then." Barry hung up the phone and Hal looked up from the report on the last mission he had been on.

"Who was that?"

"Johnny Quick, he said he was coming this year." Hal grinned up at the blond.

"Wally is going to be so excited, you gonna use it as leverage to get him in the surgery room this year?" Barry nodded while smiling sadly.

"Unfortunately yes, although I can understand why he doesn't want to go. Having your legs broken at least five times in one go is too much, not to mention without being knocked out for it."

"Well he is almost done with the process right? Just the lower legs to go?" Barry nodded and sat down at the large oak dining room table next to Hal.

"That's right, but I know he's stressing a little because it's not just going to be family this time, Roy's girlfriend, Artemis, Zatanna, Kaldur, and M'Gaan is going to be there too, and they are going to want answers to questions better left unsaid." Hal snorted and leaned back in his chair.

"I think Roy going big brother will deter most of them, and for the stubborn is a special can of whoop ass courtesy of the baby bird." Barry had to chuckle at that. It was true, if there was ever ANYONE who became protective of the speedster, it was Robin, especially after surgery. Robin wouldn't even let Barry or Bruce near the boy, one time he had thrown Barry across the room before going back to fussing with Wally's care.

"True, what was I worried about, that and I think Conner has adopted Wally as a little brother as well." Hal smiled with such a peaceful aura he looked like an angel.

"That's good, those two will be good for each other." Barry smiled and nodded before getting up and started to cook dinner, tying a plaid printed apron over his clothes as he went. Hal couldn't help but smile, Barry was more domestic than he thought, but then they say you don't really know a person until you live with them, and Barry and Wally moving in had been the best thing ever. Hal chuckled as he remembered the other day.

FLASH BACK

Conner and Hal sat at the dining room table helping him with his history homework. The poor boy just reads too far into it and ended up confusing himself, luckily history was the one subject he paid attention to in high school before he dropped out and everything went south. Just as Conner was about to ask him a question there was a huge boom that shook the house. Conner looked alarmed and sprinted out to the backyard while Hal chuckled and strolled to the back. Both saw as Barry and Wally came out of the shed Barry had commandeered covered in black soot and coughing. They both raised the protective goggles and grinned at each other before talking quickly to one another with excited tones.

"Hey you two, you better hope the neighbors didn't call the cops again, like last time." Hal called over to the two excited science nerds. Last time one of their experiments blew up the elder lady across the street had called the cops thinking that someone had placed a bomb in the neighborhood. Conner hadn't been present at the time, he had been at training with Black Canary.

"Dude, you should have seen the chemical reaction…" Hal laughed as he cut off the excited red head.

"Hold it Ghost rider, I don't do the science nerd lingo you and Barry do." Wally frowned and crossed his arms over his chest while Barry put his hands on his hips.

"What ever you say…Halitosis." Hal's eyes grew wide.

"I TOLD YOU NEVER TO CALL ME THAT!" He screeched and took off in a run after the blond speedster, who was laughing and ducking out of Hal's lunges while the kids stood and watched them, laughing.

END OF FLASHBACK

Conner and Wally came down the stairs at the end of his daydream and went into the kitchen to wash their hands before setting the table and sitting down themselves. Hal himself got up to scrub his hands, something that Barry had instilled into this house with a firm foot, much to Hal's amusement. This had been by far the easiest time in his life. Barry was warm, caring, funny, and had a well hidden mischievous streak that would rear up and knock you on your ass if you let it. Yet he was never afraid to tell Hal exactly what he thought of his stupider ideas and plans, and wasn't afraid to deck him in the jaw when needed. Truthfully, he was happy, the only thing that concerned him was his growing affection for the blond man. He wanted Barry to stay here, to love him and Conner, and maybe even want him. Hal put up a tough front, but on the inside, he was really insecure about his looks. He felt as dirty and horrid looking as Carol always said he was. Frowning, he looked at his hands under the water, seeing the dirty stains on his hands that wouldn't wash away. Then soft warm hands encased his shoulders.

"Hal, are you okay?" The soft whisper came, the blonde's voice full of worry. Turning the water off, he grinned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, let's eat." Barry gave him a soft smile and led him over. Hal shivered as the hot tingle raced up his arm again. It had started to happen about a month ago, but every time Barry touched him, he would get a hot tinglish sensation wherever he touched. Hal loved it, and he took every opportunity to touch the blond, but he would never tell a soul about it. Sitting down he started to eat the wonderful lasagna Barry had made.

Conner looked at Wally, he looked deathly pale and was firmly shaking his head. He was not going in that surgery room and there was no force on this earth that could get him to go. Artemis and the rest of the team sat around with bags that contained their belongings that they had brought for this trip.

"Wally, please, don't make me drag you in there. If you go willingly, I'll have a special surprise for you." Barry bartered. Wally glared at Barry.

"What kind of surprise?" He said, suspiciousness lacing the voice.

"Trust me kid, you want this surprise. And Batman even threw in his own incentive to get you to go. If you go, neither he or Robin will wear masks or glasses for the whole trip, they will get to be themselves. Don't you want to let that happen?" Wally faltered for a minute before nodding. He wanted to spend time with his best friend.

"Okay I'll go…" Wally turned and went into the room with Dr. Mid-Nite and Martian Manhunter. Barry turned to the children.

"Go wait outside of the building and wait for Roy and the rest of the Arrows." The teens looked like they wanted to protest but Hal stepped in and shepherded them all outside.

"Why do we have to wait out here?" Artemis complained while glaring daggers into Hal.

"Trust me, you're not ready to hear what's going to happen." Hal smiled sadly.

"What is going on?" M'Gaan asked.

"He's having his legs broken and reformed, they never healed right when he was a kid, and it takes multiple times to make any real progress, and he has to suffer through it without painkillers or being put to sleep, his body burns the drugs away before they can take any effect." Hal said without reveling too much about the real reason when he spotted the familiar red head coming with two blondes and a raven haired female.

"Jade?! What are you doing here? You're evil!" Jade smiled coyly at her sister before grabbing a hold of Roy's arm.

"Big Red invited me to your little vacation on the condition that I never tell any secret identities, and not to cause any trouble." She purred out and nuzzled her face into Roy's neck with a smirk. "I'm a good kitty now."

"She's already been briefed on what Barry would do if we were compromised." A rich and silky voice came from behind Dinah and Oliver. They stepped aside to let Bruce Wayne and Richard Grayson through. Artemis' jaw dropped as she saw the raven haired boy.

"I know you! You're that twerp that took that picture of me the first day of school." Dick cackled his famous Robin cackle before marching into the lab. "Hey how come he can go in there but we can't?"

"Because, that is one fierce birdie when it comes to the one he treasures most." Oliver said and he wrapped an arm around his own birdie. The hours went by and finally Barry came out with an exhausted smile.

"It's done, come and see him." He said before walking back inside. The group quickly filed inside and saw Kid Flash being pushed out of the operating room by Dick. Wally's lower legs were in bright red casts and Dick was wheeling a wheelchair closer to the pale red head. Artemis gasped and went over to Wally's side.

"Artemis, no!" Barry tried to warn her as he stood back with the rest of the group. She didn't listen and reached out to the weak red head only to have her hand smack away with a loud crack.

"Ow! What the hell Dick?!" She looked over and gasped as she was met with hard and cold cerulean eyes. She backed up as Dick picked Wally up and placed him gently into the wheelchair, fluffing the pillows behind his lower back and head after and tucking a blanket around his upper legs before giving the speedster a kiss on the forehead. Wheeling him over to the rest of the group, Barry smiled at the exhausted boy in the chair.

"Hey sweetheart, how are you feeling?" He pushed back Wally's sweaty bangs out of the ginger's eyes.

"Tired, filled with pain, you know the usual." Wally rasped out, his voice worn out from screaming and crying. Barry smiled gently as Dick handed Wally a cup of water to soothe his throat, the bird would be catering to his every whim for the whole trip and it was kind of funny to watch him do it.

"How about that surprise now?" Wally nodded and smiled up at his uncle. The group of mentors stood aside to let Jay, Joan, Johnny and Max through. Wally perked up at the sight of his fellow speedsters and adopted grandfather and grandmother.

"Grandpa Jay, Grandma Joan, Uncle Max, Uncle Johnny! What are you doing here?" Jay laughed and cast a sideways glance at Dick, making sure he wouldn't get 'pecked' at by the bird. Seeing a slight nod he stepped forward and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Well Roadrunner, we're going on the trip with you this time." Wally visibly sat up straighter and tired eyes recovered their glittering glow.

"For real?!" Joan laughed and nodded, giving the boy a kiss on the cheek.

"I even made you some cookies for the trip." She said as she fondly ran her hand through his hair.

"Score! You are the best Grandma!" He hugged her around her shoulders. Max and Johnny came up to the boy as well.

"Feeling better there Roadrunner?" Wally grinned.

"Meep, Meep!" Which had the older two chuckling at the old sound Wally used to make at them when he was a kid and called that.

"That's what we like to hear." Max said and patted Wally on the head before ruffling up the ginger strands.

"Well now that Wally is doing alright, let's get this show on the road!" Hal grinned as Barry announced that it was time to go. Roy, Dick, and Wally cheered as they went outside, Roy grabbing Wally's bag and Dick pushing the speedster out the doors. Outside sat a very large van, which Barry sped over to and unlocked the back and started to load everyone's bag that they weren't using to hold entertainment in. Dick stood in front with a list.

"Alright everyone, listen up for your seating."

"Hey Bruce, who is that?" They finally noticed another small raven haired boy clinging to Bruce's leg. He was about eleven, just a few years younger than Dick himself.

"This is my other protégé Tim, he is still going through training and not yet been on any field." Tim waved at the others before ducking behind Bruce, causing the females of the group to chuckle.

"Right, he's my younger brother. Anyway seating will go like this: Joan, Jay, and Johnny will be in the back. Next row will be Max, Artemis, and Kaldur. Following them is Oliver and Dinah. Then Bruce, Tim, and Conner. Next row is Jade, M'Gaan, and Zatanna. Finally it will be Roy, Wally and I in the front row while Hal and Barry drive. Any questions?"

"Nope, I am all for this seat plan." Jade purred as she was glad she wouldn't be sitting near her sister.

"Great, let's get in and get this show on the road." Everyone cheered and they got inside the van. Inside were comfortable couch like benches, flip down screens, and cup holders for everyone. Barry got into the passenger side while Hal got in the driver's side. Once everyone was seated and buckled in, Hal started the van and pulled away from S.T.A.R. labs.

"Just one question, where are we going?" Zatanna asked as she got comfortable. Roy turned around in his seat and grinned.

"Disney Land."

Author's note: I am really getting into this story….hmmm. Anyway just wanted to share some good news, I have a sequel to Back to the Basics in the works and should be out soon. Still waiting for ideas to come to me on Saint High and Racing Love so don't worry, I haven't forgotten.